CALGARY — Technically, this is Brad Treliving’s second week on the job.

According to the new Calgary Flames general manager, the real work began on Monday morning.

In addition to arranging to move his wife, Julie, and their daughters Ryann, 11, and Reese, 7, after 19 years in Phoenix, he has had a lengthy to-do list since arriving on scene — his first time working in a Canadian market and in Canada, period, after spending the past seven as the assistant general manager of the Phoenix Coyotes.

One of his first orders of business was the relocation of their American Hockey League affiliate Abbotsford Heat to Glens Falls, N.Y., a deal that was in the works for weeks but finalized on Monday.

“I’ve been there many times,” said Treliving on Wednesday, relaxing in his office which is just down the hall from Brian Burke’s at the Saddledome. “They’ve had a team there for a long time so I’d scout them lots. It’s a really nice area. You hear a lot of people from New York that go up there. There’s a lot of people that spend their summers there. A getaway for the people from the city … a long hockey history.”

From left, Brian Burke, President of Hockey Operations, Calgary Flames, and Brad Treliving, General Manager, Calgary Flames, at a press conference at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary. (Stuart Gradon/Calgary Herald)

The new GM is scheduled to make a trip there soon to evaluate the Glens Falls Civic Center and whether improvements are needed.

However, in general, he approves the move which is more logical and sustainable geographically.

Treliving compares the situation to the Coyotes and their farm team which moved from San Antonio, Texas, to Portland, Maine, before the 2011-12 season.

San Antonio is about a 75 minute flight away from Phoenix, stationing them close to the NHL parent club but far away from AHL competition.

“Convenient for getting players back and forth there. Really inconvenient for the players,” Treliving said. “The league, for the most part, is in the Northeast.

“We were going from Phoenix all the way to the East Coast. But it was a better development situation. Less time on the road, more practice time, less travel, everything they’re doing is by bus so they’re home in their beds most nights.

“In Abbotsford, it’s convenient to bring a guy. But the development model is not great.”

As for his philosophy on the AHL model itself, he believes it’s crucial for any NHL team — which means he doesn’t plan on filling their farm team with players that don’t have a future in Calgary.

“Specifically, looking at our situation where we’re going, building and growing,” he said. “The No. 1 objective for your American Hockey League team is to develop your players. I think winning and having success plays a key role in that. You want your people in positive, successful environments. But we put development ahead of everything. You have to earn your way along. But my philosophy in the American League is you have to put your young players down there and have them in key roles and you have to give them opportunities to have success. A lot of times, they’re going to stub their toe early.”

And, most times, young players underestimate the expectations at the AHL level.

“They all think, ‘I’ll do a flyby in the American League. A cup of coffee. Put in a little bit of time.’ It’s a hard league,” said Treliving. “There are a lot of veteran players that have wives and kids and that’s how they feed their family. It’s a huge step for any first-year player. Finding a way to be a good player in that league is really hard and it’s a great development landscape for them.

“But we want our kids going down there and playing key roles … that’s how you get better.”

Troy Ward, Heat head coach since 2011-12, is also due for a contract extension. On a recent visit to Abbotsford, Treliving met with Ward, his coaching staff and players.

“We’re going to talk,” he said. “I don’t know Troy. I’ve never worked with him. I think he’s a really good coach, just judging by how his teams play. But we’re going to have those (contract) discussions.

“As much as it’s, ‘What do I think of Troy?’ he’s probably doing a little digging on me. We’re going to talk and I’m going to let him know what my philosophies are and how I like things done. The short answer? We’ll see. But I preface that by saying that Troy has done a really good job. He has a reputation in the hockey community as a hard-working, knowledgeable guy. So we’ll see.”

In the next few weeks, Treliving is planning to meet with Flames head coach Bob Hartley.

Another priority will be talking with unrestricted free agents such as Michael Cammalleri, Chris Butler, Chris Breen, Kevin Westgarth and Joey MacDonald and the Flames’ restricted free agents (T.J. Galiardi, Paul Byron, Joe Colborne, Lance Bouma, Chad Billins, and Mark Cundari). There’s the hiring of an assistant general manager to replace John Weisbrod who was fired with Jay Feaster in December.

The next most pressing issue is preparing for the 2014 National Hockey League draft in Philadelphia June 27-28. Treliving is scheduled to meet with the Flames’ amateur scouts in Toronto next week.

“This is a critical stage in getting ready for Philadelphia,” he said. “The rest of those things we’ll get to in due time.”